Drafter
Clerk 04/18/2017
Title
A MOTION requesting that the executive develop and transmit a report that reviews and assesses gaps in existing emergency action plans associated with dams in King County and evacuation and sheltering plans in the watersheds to serve populations that would be affected by potential dam failures and provides a prioritized list of recommended steps to update or, where missing, create emergency action plans and evacuation and sheltering plans.
Body
WHEREAS, threat of collapse of the Oroville Dam spillway resulted in evacuation orders for more than one hundred eighty thousand people, and
WHEREAS, over one hundred dams exist in King County's river basins in proximity to the county's residents, and
WHEREAS, many types of emergency events could damage the dams in King County, including earthquakes, flooding and structural failure;
WHEREAS, while a remote possibility, failure of a dam in King County could, in some instances, have catastrophic effects on human life, property and the environment, and
WHEREAS, protecting residents and property from injury and damage by natural disasters is a fundamental role of government, and
WHEREAS, preevacuation planning can greatly reduce harmful impacts from dam failure, and
WHEREAS, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requires preparation of an emergency action plan for all dams whose failure would endanger human life or cause substantial property damage; and
WHEREAS, King County in collaboration with the United States Army Corps of Engineers and other affected jurisdictions conducted preevacuation planning and developed evacuation routes for use in the event of failure of the Howard Hanson dam on the Green river, and
WHEREAS, similar planning may be warranted in the county's other major river basins, including the Cedar River basin, Snoqualmie River basin and White River basin, and
WHEREAS, the mission of King County's office of emergency management is to provide regional leadership to strengthen community resilience and access to emergency services, and
WHEREAS, in 2007, the King County Flood Control Zone District was established to provide a proactive, regional approach to flooding as well as funding to improve the county's nearly five hundred aging and inadequate flood protection facilities;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
A. King County's office of emergency management shall, in collaboration with the water and land resources division, the King County Flood Control Zone District, cities, tribal nations, unincorporated communities, dam owners and other interested parties, coordinate the development and transmittal of a report to the King County council and the King County Flood Control Zone District that:
1. Identifies and assesses gaps in:
a. existing emergency action plans in the watersheds of the Cedar River basin, Green River basin, Snoqualmie River basin and White River basin; and
b. adopted county and city evacuation and sheltering plans in the watersheds identified in subsection A.1.a. that would serve populations that would be affected by potential dam failures; and
2. Provides a prioritized list of recommended steps to update or, where missing, create emergency action plans and county evacuation plans and associated sheltering plans.
B. The executive should transmit the report required in subsection A. of this motion by August 31, 2017, in the form of a paper original and an electronic copy with the clerk of the council, who shall retain the original and provide an electronic copy to all councilmembers, the council chief of staff, the policy staff director, the executive director
of the King County Flood Control District and the lead staff for the law and justice committee, or its successor.